Navajo National Monument is a non-fee park located within the Navajo Nation in Northeastern Arizona. The park protects three cliff dwelling sites (Betatakin, Keet Seel, and Inscription House) that date back to 1300 AD.
The park's visitor center is open from 8:00am to 5:30pm every day. The visitor center building includes an information desk, museum, cultural demonstrators, bookstore, and an auditorium where movies pertaining to the park are played on a continuous loop/upon request.
Three self guided trails are open until sunset (even after visitor center building is closed) and can be accessed behind the visitor center.
Sandal Trail: A 1.3 mile roundtrip trail leads to an overlook of the Betatakin cliff dwelling. The trail is paved with an elevation loss of up to 150 feet. This is the only point in the park where the cliff dwellings can be seen aside from the guided tours.
Aspen Trail: A 0.8 mile rountrip nature trail that ends at an overlook of the relict forest at the bottom of the Betatakin canyon. This trail has an elevation loss up to 350 feet. Cliff dwellings can not be seen from this trail.
Canyon View Trail: A 0.8 mile roundtrip nature trail that goes along the canyon rim from the visitor center to the park's historic ranger station. There is no elevation loss due to the trail being relatively flat. Cliff dwellings can not be seen from this trail.
Betatakin and Keet Seel are open for visitation during the summer season which runs from Memorial Day (late May) to Labor Day (early September). Inscription House is closed to visitation.
Betatakin tours are offered twice a day (8:15am and 10am) during the morning and are available on a first-come basis. There is a limit to how many hikers can join these tours which is 25 hikers per tour.
Keet Seel uses a 17 mile backcountry trail to arrive at the site. Tours are available by making an advance reservation. To make a reservation call 928-672-2700 or 2727. Please note that only 20 hikers are allowed on the Keet Seel trail per day.
Two free campgrounds are also available on a first-come basis.
OPEN CAMPFIRES ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ALL CAMPSITES AND WITHIN THE PARK